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Dallas — Twin Hospitality Group Inc., the parent company of Twin Peaks Restaurant, has appointed Kim Boerema as chief executive officer. Boerema will draw on his over 30 years of industry experience, scaling and optimizing high-volume, full-service restaurant operations, to continue driving forward the rapid growth trajectory of the ultimate sports lodge, Twin Peaks. Boerema most recently served as president and chief operating officer of Parry’s Pizzeria & Taphouse, where he helped to significantly scale the brand, taking it from a 10-unit concept to an approximately 30-unit concept in the …

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Dallas — Brinker International, Inc. has promoted longtime Brinker leader Aaron White to executive vice president, chief operating officer and chief people officer for its restaurant brands, Chili’s® Grill & Bar and Maggiano’s Little Italy®. She has been with the company for 29 years. In this expanded role, White will oversee both operations strategy and personnel across the restaurant support center, Chili’s and Maggiano’s, with her leadership team focused on driving the company’s next level of operational improvements to improve the team member and guest experience. White began her Brinker …

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Minneapolis — Restaurant Technologies has named Matthew Micowski as its newest chief financial officer (CFO), succeeding Bob Weil who has held the position since 2007 and has transitioned to a strategic advisor position within the organization.  Micowski brings over two decades of strategic financial leadership across the technology and healthcare industries, most recently serving as the senior vice president and CFO at NAMSA since 2021. “Matthew’s record of successfully accelerating growth, driving operational transformation and proactively setting companies up for future success made him stand out in a highly competitive …

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Los Angeles — FAT (Fresh. Authentic. Tasty.) Brands Inc. has hired Drew Martin as chief information officer. Martin joins FAT Brands with over 35 years of IT experience and will be focused on delivering scalable technological solutions to progress the growth of FAT Brands. Martin’s diverse background includes serving as senior vice president and CIO for Jack in the Box and senior vice president and CIO for Sony Electronics. Other previous ventures include PepsiCo, leading the digital transformation/supporting the sale of Jenny Craig, and serving as executive vice president and …

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San Francisco — Local Kitchens, a category-defining restaurant brand known for its menu collaborations with award-winning chefs, has appointed Jay Gentile as its new chief executive officer. This leadership transition comes as its co-founders, Andrew Munday and Jon Goldsmith, step away from day-to-day operations, with Goldsmith continuing as chairman of the board. Gentile brings a wealth of experience in scaling and evolving restaurant brands, most recently leading Veggie Grill and its family of concepts. With a deep background in operations and market expansion, he successfully introduced and grew Caffè Nero …

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Menomonee Falls, Wis. — Kohl’s Corporation’s board of directors has appointed Michael Bender as interim chief executive officer (CEO), effective immediately. Bender has served as a director of the board since July 2019 and was appointed board chair in May 2024. The board will initiate a search to identify a permanent CEO and retain a leading search firm to assist with this process. Bender’s appointment follows the board’s decision to terminate Ashley Buchanan for cause. An investigation conducted by outside counsel and overseen by the audit committee of the board …

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Los Angeles — Sweetgreen, Inc. has appointed Jason Cochran as its chief operating officer, effective May 5, 2025. Cochran will oversee field operations and as well as operations services and innovation for the company and will report directly to Sweetgreen’s co-founder and chief executive officer, Jonathan Neman. Cochran joins Sweetgreen from past positions with Pizza Hut, Chipotle and GameStop. “Jason is a trusted and visionary leader with hands-on operational experience at growth-oriented brands,” says Neman. “His strategic mindset, operational discipline and ability to inspire teams make him uniquely positioned to …

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Dallas — TGI Fridays has appointed Phil Broad as president of TGI Fridays International Franchising. Based in Dubai, Broad will oversee the brand’s international operations and franchise partnerships, with a focus on accelerating global growth and delivering exceptional guest experiences worldwide. Broad served as managing director of TGI Fridays UK from 1997 to 2000. In addition to his deep understanding of the brand, he has over 30 years of global leadership experience in the food and beverage, hospitality and retail sectors. “Phil’s return to the Fridays family comes at a …

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North Plainfield, N.J. — Levin Management Corporation (LMC) has appointed Jeanette Oliver as chief financial officer (CFO). LMC is an established, vertically integrated commercial real estate services provider with a 125-property leasing and management portfolio. Prior to joining LMC, she was chief accounting officer at Silverstein Properties Inc. Oliver has more than 25 years of experience in the real estate and development industries. She brings a wealth of finance and accounting expertise to her new role. Prior to Silverstein, she previously served as accounting director at Forest City Ratner Companies. …

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Dallas — Salad and Go, a one-of-a-kind salad chain, has appointed Mike Tattersfield as its new CEO, effective immediately. Tattersfield, who is now a minority owner of the brand, brings over 30 years of retail and restaurant industry leadership experience to the expanding drive-thru-only salad concept. Most recently, he served as president and CEO of Krispy Kreme for nearly a decade. Other top roles included CEO of Caribou Coffee Company and Einstein Noah Restaurant Group, president at YUM! Brands and COO at Lululemon. “Salad and Go has built something special …

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